The discipline of electrical engineering in Harbin Engineering University originated from 1956, composed by three pillar research areas including ship motor, ship power driven and ship power system, ranking the top of China at that time. At present, the subject of electrical engineering is one of the four majors of the College of Automation in HEU, owning the authorization to qualify the master degree of the first-class subject. It has two second class subjects which are power electronics and power drive and power system and automation. Furthermore, the subject of power electronics and power drive has been awarded as the key discipline by Heilongjiang Province in 2008. The discipline of electrical engineering cultivates talents for senior researches and application in the field of ship electrical engineering. It has the following research areas: marine electric propulsion, ship power system, energy saving and noise suppression of integrated motor propulsion, and renewable energy generation and the energy storage system.

There are 13 full-time teachers in the institute, including 4 professors, 6 associate professors, 4 doctoral supervisors, and 10 master supervisors. At present, there are more than 350 enrolled undergraduate students and nearly 100 postgraduate students.

Academic Research Areas:

The institute mainly develops power electronics and electric drive and power system and automation, based on the advantages of shipbuilding industry, naval facilities, marine development and nuclear application. And an electric propulsion system with AC asynchronous motor was developed, which was awarded the third prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress. In another hand, a large number of researches have been conduced in the electrical engineering of non-ships. A testing platform of helicopter rotor for Hafei Aviation Industry Groups was explored, which was the largest in the country. Besides, the institute developed power conversion device for the floating independent power generation system of the first Chinese tidal power station. The tidal researches conducted by the institute successively has accumulated rich experience for the development and utilization of tidal power and other renewable energies, making significant contribution for China. Moreover, the submersible and the electric propulsion device of submersible vessel provided for certain testing field has reliable performance, guaranteeing the development of experiences of national defense.

The institute has constantly undertaken high-tech ship projects of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the special projects of research and development and industrialization of National Development and Reform Commission, as well as major projects of vessel and ship power from the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. Besides, the institute has already published more than 100 papers on SCI and EI, and applied for over 50 patents of invention.

The institute has established close academic partnership with many world-famous universities such as the University of Wisconsin. In recent two years, the two universities have visited and communicated with each other, and published many outstanding academic papers and carried on many tasks including scientific research and joint cultivation of postgraduates.